A call to a called communication device in one example terminates at an announcement server component prior to connection with the called communication device. The announcement server component plays an announcement to a calling communication device of the call. The announcement server component in one example comprises a customized ringback tone component. The customized ringback tone component allows a user of the called communication device to preselect a ringback tone or announcement to be played to the calling communication device. When the calling communication device calls the called communication device, a user of the calling communication device normally hears a traditional ringing sound before the called communication device answers the call. The customized ringback tone component replaces the traditional ringing sound with the ringback tone or announcement preselected by the user of the called communication device. The ringback tone component allows the user of the called communication device to customize the ringing sound that the user of the calling communication device hears upon calling the called communication device.
When involved on the call to provide an announcement, some announcement server components send answer messages to a call control component that supports the call and controls billing for the call. Upon receipt of answer messages, the call control component initiates billing for the call. For example, based on International Telecommunication Union (“ITU-T”) Q.764 and American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”) T1.113 standards, billing shall begin upon reception of an answer message, for example, a signaling system 7 (“SS7”) Answer message. However, billing should not occur during an announcement or ringback tone phase of the call. As one shortcoming, if the announcement server component sends an answer message to the call control component, then the call control component may initiate billing for the call based on the answer message from the announcement server component. As another shortcoming, initiation of billing based on the answer message from the announcement server component causes billing during the announcement or ringback tone phase of the call.
One communication system that serves to prevent billing during the announcement or ringback tone phase employs a recent change mechanism to drop the answer message from the announcement server component. For example, the communication system activates the recent change mechanism for specific carrier trunks connected to the announcement server component. The recent change mechanisms in one example are individually set by customer support on the carrier trunks connected to the announcement server component. As one shortcoming, if the recent change mechanisms are set incorrectly by customer support, then the carrier trunks may mistakenly drop answer messages from the called communication device which would prevent proper billing for the call. As another shortcoming, customer support must modify each carrier trunk connected to the announcement server component with recent change mechanisms to drop the answer messages from the announcement server component.
Thus, a need exists for an enhanced capability to prevent an initiation of billing for a call based on an answer message from an announcement server component.